Ashley Ronning is a Melbourne-based illustrator and artist. Her creative endeavours began when she was five and she cut her own hair to complete a picture of a pony. She can usually be found in her studio drawing, risograph printing or working on her next zine. When her pens are down she's playing pinball, going to gigs or having a tinnie in the sunshine.
I see so many friends around me looking for spaces where they can feel comfortable to be themselves and at ease talking about their experiences. Everyone should have a space to feel safe and even get a bit silly! I love that we're taking this trope of the dudes in the locker room and putting a positive spin on it.
Is there a topic or issue that you wished we all talked about more openly?
Trans rights are human rights. Transgender people deserve equal access to education, healthcare, housing and jobs. We've come a long way pushing for more, but they still face discrimination and violence every day. Trans people deserve respect and love, just like everyone else on this planet.
How does your job fit into your life - does it feel like a 9-5, or maybe it’s more of a calling?
I'm lucky enough to be able to follow my heart and pursue a creative career. I split my time between commercial illustration, risograph printing, and making the art that I wanna make. I'm trying my best to carve out more time for my artistic practice. It's incredibly hard to make it all work but I love what I do.
If you had the chance, what’s something you’d like to tell your 16 year-old self?
Stop worrying about what teenage boys think and have fun! Draw as much as you can, read a bunch of books, get out there and meet new people. There's so much beyond highschool! Also – being an artist is a real job!!
